


i've seen better nights

by daggerons



Category: The Dragon Prince (Cartoon)
Genre: Gen, safetdp, viren is gay and trashed
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-07
Updated: 2019-02-07
Packaged: 2019-10-23 19:57:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,772
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17689880
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/daggerons/pseuds/daggerons
Summary: viren does not have luck with love and well, harrow is a good friend





	i've seen better nights

**Author's Note:**

> i needed something Soft okay. it's only varrow if you Squint. there s some lore from the show itself but it's vague. have fun and be safe love you

Large social gatherings were not uncommon in the kingdom. People depended on the crown for much, and Harrow’s father, for any faults he might have, knew the importance of image. The lasting impression of their great hall, absolutely overflowing with food and light and dance, a welcome celebration of one thing or another, was as important as the standing army they kept at the border.

Although rare, sometimes other kingdoms sent their some of their own to these events. And now, here was one, the first one of the year, and Harrow was bored.

He was dressed up in his finest garments, at first being paraded around by his father, and only now having a moment to himself. A moment which, although he was not keeping the greatest track of, had dragged on for a lot longer than he wanted to admit. But, still, he sat by himself far from the chattering crowd, tired of the pleasantries and politics. He nursed a drink which was far too light to do anything but make him long for the comfort of his bed.

He spotted Viren across the crowd, who making his way to the entrance, and was it the light, or did his friend not resemble the nice red shade of a beet? Harrow furrowed his brow, a little concerned.

He stood and made his way across the hall, but instead of making it out, he was caught by an adviser to his father, who told Harrow he was needed. Harrow looked at him, wondering if the man held enough sway that Harrow could just make a break for it. Dealing with whatever Viren had gotten himself into seemed to be the lesser of the two evils currently presented to him.

But, he was a good son, just sighed, and followed his father’s advisor.

It was at least another hour before Harrow finally made it out. He took a deep breath of fresh air first, and then set about finding his friend. He didn’t have to make it far, seeing Viren in the courtyard, sitting under the only tree available. He walked over, the slight concern he had melting away, amusement taking its place.

“I was wondering where you went,” Harrow said, looking down at Viren.

“Hi, Harrow,” Viren said, greeting him as if they were in his room, by his bedside, rather than out in the castle’s courtyard.

Harrow raised an eyebrow, but it wasn’t hard to figure out that Viren had maybe had too much to drink. He rolled his eyes and sat down next to his friend. The stone was uncomfortable underneath him, the tunic he wore, while one of his best, was not great guarding him against the cold.

“Why are you out here, Viren?” He asked. They had not spent much time together, what with the king’s growing need to parade Harrow around. The healthy, strong crown prince, to whom the largest kingdom would fall to, if something should happen to the current king. It felt morbid, in a way, his father using him like that, but celebrations that included other kingdoms were always political. Royalty made a habit of showing off, royal families showing their strong blood. Alliances were built, just as much as grudges formed.

“Oh, you know…” Viren trailed off, head lolling and eventually settling on Harrow’s shoulder.

“A better question is, how much did you drink?” Harrow didn’t know Viren to be a heavy drinker, but he did know him to not hold his alcohol well, which was infinitely more dangerous.

“Two,” Viren said, holding up three fingers, “two somethings.”

Harrow rolled his eyes, sighing. He was already close to retiring for the night, but now he knew for sure the party was over for him.

“I tried to dance,” Viren mumbled from his position on Harrow’s shoulder. It was a little hard and it took a little coaxing, but Harrow eventually pieced together that his best friend had tried to, for lack of a better word, flirt, and it had gone, for lack of a better word, terribly. Not only had the other man rejected Viren in front a consider amount of people, he had thought to throw in some choice insults too.

Viren’s description angered Harrow, but the other man was part of the diplomatic group sent by one of the northern kingdoms, who they could not hope to anger over something so inconsequential. Although Viren was hurt, it was better to court a drink than to court war with them, so he had left, and wound up under this tree, drunk.

Harrow knew he couldn’t do anything but try to console his friend.

“Come on,” he said, shifting so that Viren could lean against the trunk of the tree while Harrow made his way to his feet. “Let’s get you to bed.”

Viren groaned in response, but Harrow ignored him, took him by the arms, and pulled him up. Viren stumbled a couple of steps forward, eventually collapsing against Harrow’s chest. He buried his head there.

“Viren—” Harrow said, exasperated.

“Can’t,” Viren said into Harrow’s chest.

“I should just leave you here,” Harrow said loudly, pushing Viren to lean against the tree and then slinging him over his shoulder. Viren groaned again, mumbling something which was either incoherent, or Harrow didn’t catch.

“Love you,” Viren said louder, patting the small of Harrow’s back as he made his way to Viren’s room.

“You know, next time you want to sulk, you should invite me,” Harrow said, more to fill the silence than anything. There were a few guards about, who tried to hide their smiles as the prince passed by. “We could sneak up on the parapets, have maybe a little bit less to drink, I could push you over the side, make it look like an accident.”

“But, you,” Viren said, in the pause that followed, “love me.”

Harrow didn’t answer, just made a noise in the back of his throat.

“Or we could have gone back, made him apologize for calling you words he couldn’t say in front of his own mother,” Harrow said, “I mean sure, we would’ve gone to war, but then maybe we’d get a chance to kill him.”

Viren giggled, a sound was so completely unlike him that Harrow found himself smiling. He stopped in front of the door to Viren’s chambers, which was thankfully not a room he shared with his father, who would undoubtedly find out about this later. Harrow was not looking forward to that; he knew Viren would mope.

“Prince Harrow!” He heard from his left and turned before he had made it through the doorway, smacking Viren’s head against the wall.

“Sorry,” he let out sheepishly.

Viren groaned.

The guard that had called out caught up to them, stood a little straighter as he looked back and forth between Harrow and Viren. “The king is asking for you.”

Of course, his father wasn’t done with him. The sun hadn’t come out yet. Harrow wanted to bang his head against a wall, but focused instead on keeping his face neutral.

“I will be there shortly,” he said curtly, trying to sound a little more dignified than he felt, and the guard, satisfied, nodded and left.

“Ow,” Viren said, loudly this time.

“You be quiet,” Harrow shot back.

“Okay,” Viren said, listening for once.

Harrow dropped him on his bed, where Viren twisted until he was wholly wrapped in covers. He was face down on his pillow, but Harrow figured it was his problem if he suffocated in his sleep.

“Thank you,” he mumbled.

Harrow patted his calf, “Rest up, Viren.”

Viren mumbled a response, but he was snoring before Harrow made it out the door.

It was past noon the next day by the time Harrow went to check on Viren. Harrow had been correct about his father keeping him detained until the rise of the sun, but thankfully he was allowed to rest until he wanted the following day.

Viren was in the same position Harrow had left him in, and Harrow would have thought him dead, but he was snoring into his pillow. Harrow grabbed one of Viren’s many discarded boots and tossed it on the bed, intending to wake him up.

Viren groaned. “Father, go away.” It was muffled by the pillow, but Viren made no move to get up. He did, however, stop snoring, replacing it with a rather long and dramatic moan.

“Not your dad, Viren.” Harrow said, arms crossed. “Although, given how I kept you alive last night, I should at least get shared custody.”

Viren lifted his head and opened one eye, glaring at him. “Go away, Harrow.” He managed before dropping his head back in the pillow. “Let me die in peace.”

“What kind of father would I be if I let you die?” Harrow said, smiling at Viren’s suffering. He had to hold back a laugh.

“Hate you,” Viren said in a tired voice, turning to lay on his back but still not opening his eyes.

“Oh? That’s not what you said last night,” Harrow said, pushing a pile of Viren’s tunics off a chair and sitting on it, wanting to torment Viren as much as possible.

“Wish I could say I didn’t remember that,” Viren got out with a groan. “I drink to forget, and I don’t even get to forget.” He finally opened his eyes, turning to look at Harrow with an expression of resignation.

There was a knock on the door, but then whoever it was opened it without waiting for an answer. It was Viren’s father. Harrow got up quickly off the chair, standing awkwardly between him and Viren. He looked from one to the other slowly.

Viren’s father cleared his throat, “My prince,” he said, with what could almost be a bow. “I came to speak with my son.” He added, glaring at Viren, who glared back.

“Uh, yes,” Harrow said, moving towards the door. He shot Viren one last glance, who looked at him so pathetically Harrow had to stop. “One thing, High Mage,” Harrow added in a bit of a rush.

Viren’s father turned to look at him, raising an eyebrow, but still, maintaining the smallest illusion of respect.

“Go easy on him.” Harrow said with what he hoped was some dignity. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Viren smile before burying his head in his pillow again.

Viren’s father did not reply, and Harrow left, closing the door behind him. He let out a breath when he was outside.

He could leave Viren to sort out at least one of his messes.


End file.
